1973 12 00 SAGA - John Keel - Ancient Astronauts Modern Mysteries

Magazine Overview

This issue of "Ancient Astronauts Modern Mysteries" (Volume 1, Issue 1, dated January 1967) explores intriguing theories connecting ancient civilizations, unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and mysterious space phenomena. Written primarily by John A. Keel, the magazine presents a collection of articles that delve into the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence and its potential past or present interactions with Earth.

Spies In The Sky

The lead article, "Spies In The Sky," posits a theory that a super-civilization from a distant galaxy launched an unmanned satellite millions of years ago to search for life on Earth and monitor its development. This satellite, still functioning and orbiting the planet, is believed to be sending reports back to its home world. The theory is attributed to several leading scientists who observed an "artificial satellite of unknown origin." The object was first sighted in 1953 by Dr. Lincoln La Paz of the University of New Mexico. Following these reports, Dr. Clyde W. Tombaugh, the astronomer who discovered Pluto, was tasked by the Department of Defense to search for this anomaly. Although Dr. Tombaugh's findings were reportedly never formally released by the Pentagon, further sightings and photographs emerged. In December 1957, Dr. Luis Corrales of Venezuela's Communications Ministry photographed a second, unknown object closely following Sputnik II as it passed over Caracas, suggesting that the Soviet Union's first space dog, Laika, was not alone on its journey.

The Black Knight

"The Black Knight" section details the discovery of two large objects in polar orbit on January 4, 1960. At the time, neither the U.S. nor Russia had achieved polar orbits, and these objects were estimated to weigh at least 15 tons, significantly heavier than contemporary satellites like Sputnik I (450 pounds) or Sputnik II (2,925 pounds). In February 1960, the U.S. Department of Defense formally announced the existence of this unidentified satellite, which was tracked by various observatories and the National Space Surveillance Control Center. Prof. Alla Masevich, leading the Soviet Sputnik tracking program, denied any Soviet involvement. The press dubbed the object "The Black Knight," and it generated considerable discussion before vanishing as mysteriously as it appeared. The article notes that it has quietly reappeared in NASA's weekly catalogs of orbital debris and objects from time to time.

Echoes From Space

This section, "Echoes From Space," investigates the possibility of communicating with an extraterrestrial satellite. Dr. Ronald N. Bracewell of Stanford University, in a 1960 article in the journal *Nature*, discussed the challenges of interstellar communication but suggested that if a satellite were already present in our solar system, communication might be feasible. The article highlights the phenomenon of "Long Delayed Echoes" (LDEs), first noted by radio experimenters in the 1920s. These echoes, which returned to Earth several seconds or even days later, were technically improbable unless something in space was picking up and retransmitting the signals. Researchers in Norway, Holland, and France recorded LDEs between 1927 and 1934, with delays ranging from 3 to 15 seconds. The phenomenon became rare in more recent years but was prominent during the 1957-1961 period when the Black Knight was active.

Greetings From Epsilon Bootes

"Greetings From Epsilon Bootes" focuses on the work of Scottish astronomer Duncan Lunan. Lunan reviewed the LDE records from the 1920s and plotted the pauses between echoes on a graph, which he found formed a map of the constellation Bootes in the northern sky. He identified a curious pattern of star positions, with the echoes seemingly centering around Epsilon Bootes. Dr. Bracewell found Lunan's findings astounding, suggesting that the material contained a message indicating that the entities originated from the Constellation Bootes. Kenneth Gatland, vice president of the prestigious British Interplanetary Society, also endorsed Lunan's work. Plans are reportedly underway to launch new searches for LDEs using specialized equipment.

Bridging Time

The "Bridging Time" section addresses the vast distance to Epsilon Bootes, which is approximately 103 million light-years away. This implies that the Black Knight would need to be incredibly durable or possess technology to bridge such distances rapidly. Lunan's star charts are noted to be off by about 13,000 years, showing Epsilon Bootes in a position it held that long ago. This leads to a theory that visitors from Epsilon Bootes might have visited Earth thousands of years ago, perhaps around 11,000 to 13,000 B.C., and left the Black Knight as a monument or message, designed to be activated when mankind reached a certain technological level. This period also coincides with myths of Atlantis, leading to speculation about a connection between the "Sky People" and the lost continent.

The Fatal Flaw

"The Fatal Flaw" critically examines Lunan's and Bracewell's theories, pointing out their dependence on the LDE phenomenon. The article suggests that LDEs might have been part of early, top-secret projects aimed at developing systems for spies to piggyback secret messages on conventional radio signals. Methods included intercepting and rebroadcasting signals with coded breaks or inserting coded static. More advanced spy systems were developed by the Germans before World War II. Therefore, the LDEs observed might have been entirely unrelated to the Black Knight, possibly a form of coded communication like Lincos. Radio messages recorded in Norway and Sweden in 1934 were linked to the "ghostflier" wave and may have piggybacked on commercial radio stations. Despite this potential flaw, the concept of an alien satellite broadcasting to Earth remains exciting. Anthony Lawton, head of a British computer firm, expressed enthusiasm, stating that once its existence is established, the satellite must be interrogated to access its vast store of information.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the potential existence of ancient alien visitors, the mystery of unidentified satellites like the "Black Knight," and the interpretation of unusual radio signals such as Long Delayed Echoes (LDEs). The magazine leans towards presenting these theories as plausible, albeit with some scientific skepticism acknowledged in "The Fatal Flaw." The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry into phenomena that challenge conventional scientific understanding, suggesting that these mysteries hold significant potential for revealing truths about humanity's past and its place in the cosmos. The issue concludes with a forward-looking question about what message a computerized alien satellite might convey to humanity.